Digital Marketing Kimberly Atwood May 19, 2022

TikTok Marketing for Rookies: How to Engage With Gen Z

Gen Z makes up over 10% of the United States’ population and is growing rapidly, potentially spending over $600 billion in the next decade. So it’s no surprise that advertising companies are scrambling to get this demographic on board with their brands, but how do you reach out to them?

This is where TikTok enters the picture. It refers to a video-sharing app that allows users to create videos by adding song snippets, sounds, and other features provided by the app. Due to its fun features and popularity, many people, specifically the millennials and Gen Zs have started to use TikTok for entertainment and marketing. Hence, if you want to boost your business’s online presence, invest in TikTok marketing.

However, dealing with TikTok marketing requires some planning and preparation. You may be asking many questions, including how can you navigate the platform to engage with Gen Z and promote your brand? And what do you need to know about how they use this social media? This article looks at TikTok marketing best practices and how they can help your business succeed by tapping into Gen Z’s love for this app.

Table of Contents

How to Engage With Gen Z on TikTok: Key Takeaways

According to Pew Research Center, Generation Z is a cohort of young people born between 1997 and 2012. According to Statista, more than 20.35 percent of the American population falls into Generation Z.

With about 200 million social media users between the ages of 13 and 24, it’s no surprise that brands are flocking to TikTok to reach their target demographic in ways that weren’t possible with YouTube or Instagram alone.

As one of the most popular social media platforms among young adults, it’s important to understand how to leverage this platform effectively, especially if you’re an ad rookie.

If you’re a business owner looking for a strategic new marketing platform, TikTok is an ideal place to start. Here are some best practices for advertising on Tiktok if you want Generation Z as your target audience.

Content First, Ads Second

According to a 2018 survey by influencer marketing platform TapInfluence, 84% of Gen Z respondents said they were more likely to buy from a brand if they see an influencer using or talking about their product or service—so don’t just focus on getting views and likes; create content that will resonate with young people and get them interested in your brand.

Use Your Brand Voice

For example, T-Mobile has successfully leveraged TikTok as part of its overall social media strategy by creating humorous videos that align with its Uncarrier brand voice (and also promote new products).

Remember That It’s Still Early Days

It’s easy to stand out because most businesses aren’t yet taking advantage of TikTok. But as soon as too many companies jump into these waters, things could change very quickly. So, before that happens, get the most out of the marketing opportunities with TikTok now. Stay ahead of the competition and get the online presence you need for your business.

Know When To Hold ‘Em And When To Fold ‘Em

You might want to experiment with a few different TikTok content ideas before settling on one particular strategy—because what works for one company might not work for another. Thus, start researching various ideas and try each one you find to see which marketing strategy will work best for your brand.

TikTok Feed Features

There are several features on TikTok that work together to ensure your ads get in front of your desired audience. Here are three features you should be used when creating and running ads on TikTok:

Likes & Shares

Likes and shares are an essential part of TikTok’s algorithm, so it’s important to ensure your content gets as many likes as possible.

You can boost likes by making sure you’re posting at peak times (when most people will see it), adding hashtags or even asking friends or family members to like it. The more likes and shares your video gets, the more likely it will show up in feeds and boost your online presence .

View Count

Like YouTube videos, TikTok videos with higher view counts rank higher in feeds than those with lower view counts. That means they’ll have a better chance of being seen by users who aren’t following you already. So, don’t take the video count for granted and think of TikTok content ideas that will appeal to the interests of Gen Zers.

Tips on Posting on TikTok

Before creating an ad on TikTok, make sure your brand follows these best practices.

If you’re a business owner, do some initial research on target demographics and see how your audience interacts with products and brands like yours. After you’ve collected some data, ask yourself if your products/services would be considered relevant by users in that age range.
Once you’ve figured out your target demographic, it’s time to get creative! For example, a business specializing in retirement plans wouldn’t have much success advertising on TikTok unless they’re specifically targeting older adults. On the other hand, if your business is for the LGBTQ community, use pride design ideas for your pride posts, covers, and other TikTok marketing campaigns. By doing so, you can attract more Gen Zers who are part of the LGBTQ community to support and engage with your brand.
Think about what makes your business unique—is its great customer service? A cool location? An amazing product? Whatever it may be, incorporate that into your video ad so users can understand why they should follow you.
Don’t forget to produce high quality videos. If the idea is great, it won’t get the engagement you want if it doesn’t align with the preferred TikTok video specs. Always choose high definition video over low definition footage.

What Not to Do on TikTok

Let’s start with an overview of what NOT to do on TikTok, especially if you’re a business owner looking to engage Gen Z.

Make sure you avoid: poor spelling and grammar, posts without a call-to-action (CTA), overuse of hashtags or inappropriate #hashtags, lame videos, or any videos that don’t align with your brand image or goals.
Avoid Irregular posting: according to research from Sprout Social, people who post regularly on social media sites like Instagram and Twitter have more than twice as many followers as those who only occasionally post. So, if you plan to become a successful influencer by frequently posting on TikTok, it makes sense to stay active across other social platforms.

For example, connect your Instagram account with TikTok so people can follow you across both platforms easily. If you want more information about using TikTok as a marketing tool, check out this useful guide on TikTok advertising best practices.

Project into the Future of Social Media

Given the rise of other platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, TikTok may not be right for your digital marketing strategy. However, we highly recommend checking out this app before deciding. Understanding how content types are distributed and consumed will help you stay ahead of the market.

TikTok has unique features that set it apart from the norm. Don’t insist on being a perfectionist or overthink your content; most young adults appreciate authenticity. However, it is important to focus more on organic content and traffic that present your brand as an authority and how these values can connect with your audience in an intimate manner.

Remember: gaining impressions and likes and followers across social media platforms is relatively easy compared to conversions, which requires more technicality and strategy. But the more targeted followers you have, the more opportunities you have to convert them.